1. Historical Influences and Precursors
Ásatrú and Odinism
Historical Influences and Precursors

2. Historical Precursors- Heathenism
Pre-Christian Germanic Religion and Culture
- Tribal - “Carl” or clan leader = civil and spiritual head of clan
Religion integrated into daily life
Vikings as farmers, hunters, and warriors
Elder (poetic) and Younger (prose) Eddas
Tell stories of gods, goddesses, men, women, giants, dwarfs, warriors, farmers, etc. all interacting - role models for how to live, love, die in honour.

3. Historical Precursors- Heathenism
Icelandic Sagas
Multi-generational family stories - very real details about the daily lives, religious practices, etc.
- Olaf Tryggvason
- Raud the Strong
- Queen Sigrid of Sweden
Snorri Sturlusson - compiled Eddas in 11th c., but stories predate this.

4. Historical Precursors - Odinism
Social Turmoil in Germany
Wotan/Odin worship
Swastika = Thor’s hammer and wheel of sun
Alexander Rud Mills
The Odinist Religion: Overcoming Jewish Christianity (1930)
Else Christensen
The Odinist Fellowship (1971)
Racism/Racialism

5. Historical Precursors - Asatru
Norse Mythology books - Kveldulf Gundarsson
The Broader Neo-Pagan Movement
“A Wind through the World Tree”
Stephen McNallen’s Viking Brotherhood (Ásatrú Free Assembly)
The Odhinnist Fellowship (John Yeowell)
Asatruarmenn (Svienbjörn Beinteinsson)
Icelandic Asatru

6. Worldview Animistic and panentheistic Nature Based
Nature filled with spirits, gods
Landsvaettir
Aesir/Vanir deities: gods in, and above, nature
Magic = asking for aid from spiritual sources
Seidhr (spirit possession)
Runes (spirit inspiration)
Nature Based

7. Worldview Multi-versal Yggdrasil: Asgard - home of aesir
Vanaheim - home of vanir
Ljossalfheim - light elves
Svartalfheim - dwarves
Midgard - our world
Muspellheim - fire giants
Joutunheim - chaos giants
Niefelheim - ice/fog world
Helheim - land of the dead

8. Worldview Cyclical Yggdrasil - image of growth, destruction, renewal
Ragnarok
Order vs chaos, cosmic battle in which universe is destroyed, then recreated
Yggdrasil - image of growth, destruction, renewal
Not reincarnation

9. Ethics Tribalist Courage Nine Noble Virtues Truth
Hávamál (from poetic Edda)
Courage
Truth
Honour
Troth
Self-Discipline
Hospitality
Industriousness
Self-Reliance
Perseverance

10. Theology Polytheistic Aesir: Odin - All father, wisdom, magic, war
Frigg - Silent One, marriage, family, fibre arts
Thor - the Thunderer. Order, strength, working class
Sif - the Golden, harvest, beauty
Loki - the Trickster
Tyr - the Skyfather - justice, loyalty, war

11. Theology Vanir: Supernatural Beings:
Njord - wind and sea, safe harbours
Skadi - the Huntress, war, hunting, independence
Freya - love, lust, war, magic, death
Freyr - the land, harvest, fertility
Supernatural Beings:
Landsvaettir
Disir
Valkyries
Norns
Wights, etc.

12. Organization Kindred Hearths Garths Heathens Gydhia/Godhi, Godhar
Elders
Godmen/Godwomen
Moots, Things, Althings

13. Ritual Tools
Bowl
Ring
Hammer

14. Varieties of Heathenism
Odinism – The Odinic Rite
Folkish Ásatrú – Ásatrú Folk Assembly
Theodism - Winland Rice (Garman Lord Gering)
Ásatrú – Irminsul Aettir
Godhordh (community) model
General Germanic Paganism – The Troth

15. Rituals Blots - a sacrifice to the gods and goddesses
Sumbels - “ale-gathering” - ritual toasting

16. Rituals Seidhr Spirit possession Seeress, Seidhkona, Völva Guide
Hrafnar

17. Rituals
Galdr
Making Taufr
Futhark Runes

18. Rituals – Wheel of the Year
Yule - (Dec. 21st “mothernight”-Jan.1)
Disting/Disablot (Jan 31-Feb. 1)
Ostara (March 21)
Maitag/Merry Moon (April 30-May 1)
Midsummer (June 21)
Loaf-Feast/Freyfaxi (July 31/Aug. 1)
Fallfest/Winter Finding (Sept. 21)
Dieses/Winternight (Fullmoon between 15th-30th October)